1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to containers and boxes used for packaging, shipping, and displaying goods. More particularly, the invention relates to display containers having means to facilitate the stacking of such containers on top of one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display containers are widely used for shipping and marketing products. Such containers are especially popular in warehouse-type marketing settings and supermarkets where many containers are opened to display the food or merchandise within and stacked one on top of another. Examples include containers of packaged candy which may be decorated for display purposes. The containers of candy are shipped to the store in stacked form. Store personnel remove any display panels to allow the candy within to be seen and removed, and the containers are then stacked one on top of another on the retail floor.
A major problem with previously known display containers is their lack of strength for stacking. All too often loaded and stacked containers collapse under the weight or become misshaped. Another problem with stacked containers is that one container may partially fall, or xe2x80x9cnestxe2x80x9d into the container below. This impairs the aesthetic appearance of the display sought by the seller and damages the products within.
Methods of producing stronger containers are known. For example, double walled corrugated containers are stronger than single walled corrugated containers. This added strength, however, does little to prevent nesting.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a container with a corner support that opens more reliably.
Another object is to provide a stronger container that is economical to produce.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stronger container that is easy to assemble and use.
Another object is to provide a container that can be safely stacked during shipping and display.
A still further object is to provide a stronger stackable container that is assembleable from a knockdown state.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from making and using the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the combinations pointed out in the appended claims.
The objects and advantages of the present invention are obtained by providing a container having a corner support. The container includes first, second, third and fourth wall panels which have an inner face and a top end. The first and second wall panels are attached to one another at a first corner, the second and third wall panels are attached to one another at a second corner, the third and fourth wall panels are attached to one another at a third corner, and the first and fourth wall panels are attached to one another at a fourth corner. A glue panel is attached to the inner face of the first wall panel, and a second glue panel is attached to the inner face of the second wall panel. The corner support includes first and second panel sections adjacent the first corner for increasing the stacking strength. The first panel section has a first edge attached pivotally and integrally to the glue panel and has a second edge opposite the first edge. The second panel section has a first edge pivotally attached to the second glue panel and a second edge opposite the first edge which is attached pivotally and integrally to the second edge of the first panel section. This provides an additional support in the corner of the container, preferably spaced from the corner of the container, to provide additional support for containers stacked on top.
The first and second panel sections can be configured for use with a container that has a knockdown state. Here the first and second panel sections move automatically into their desired positions upon assembly of the knockdown into the final container form.